Improvement in the measuring apparatus of seed-drills



0. C. GREEN.

. Seed-Dropper.

Patented Nov. 24, 1857.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER (I. GREEN, OF DUBLIN, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MEASURING APPARATUS 0F SEED-DRILLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 18,688, dated November24, 1857.

specification.

My improvement relates to a peculiar construction of reciprocating slideand its accessories adapted to measure out sted in a regular andcontinuous stream and with the avoidance of any cutting, bruising, orcrowding of.

the grains.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the seed-box,800., with a portion removed to expose the passages, the slide being atone extremity of its stroke. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the sameupside down. Fig. 3 is a section ofthe same at the line a :12, Fig. 2.-Fig. 4 represents in perspective the upper side of the slide. Fig. 5 isa similar view of the under side of the same.

A represents a portion of the seed-box of a grain-drill, having inposition to correspond with each drill-tooth a funnel-shaped rectangularaperture, B, leading to the slide 1).

O c c is a sheath or staple which holds the slide 1) closely against thebottom of the box, confines it to its proper path, and acts inconjunction with it to measure out the grain. This sheath has the formof an inverted roof, the two slopes c c of which increase in lengthtoward their apex or junction, as represented. The slide D is formedtransversely to tit the sheath, and is traversed vertically by anaperture, d d, which is bisected by a transverse septum, 1, whose topsurface is lower than that of the slide by an amount slightly greaterthan the thickness of a grain of wheat. Extending inward from therespective ends of the aperture (1 d are two similar projections orbeaks, 2 2, whose top surfaces slope downward, so as to bring theirpoints on a level with the septum 1. In the under surface of the slideare formed four channels or ventages, 3 3 3' 3, which, each commencingat a corner of the aperture d d, (of size to admit one or more grains,)extend longitudinally with decreasing depth, so as when not dischargingto confine the grain without bruisingit.

It will be seen that the central depressed portion of the sheath (J, inconnection with the aperture cl (1, forms a small constantly filled sinkor cavity, from which the grain can escape only through the moreelevated channels 3 3 3 3. There is thus a body of grain constantly bothabove and below the ventagcs-a feature which is formed effectually toremove the liability to grind and cut the seed and choke the delivery,to which slides which deliver from their lowest parts are subject. Theslide-passages throughout are so constructed as to avoid injury to thegrain. The top of the septum 1 and of the salient portions of the beaks2 2 are depressed the full thickness of a grain, and each pair 3 3 or 33 of ventages extend on their non-discharging stroke just so far beyondthe sheath as to avoid crushing or cutting the grain, while at the sametime it is sufiicicntlyconfined.

Long-pointed grains-such as oats and ryeare often very troublesome fromtheir tendency to crowd together in parallel masses, and thus completelyblock each others passage. To overcome this difficulty I have so formedand arranged the septum 1 and beaks 2 2 that as they move athwart thedescending column of grain they effectually break and derange itstendency to parallelism, and thus maintain an easy flow of grain.

As the slide works transversely of the line of draft, it follows thatthedroppings from the two ventages of one pair will not fall quitesimultaneouslyon the customaryinclined chute, and this, in conjunctionwith the fact of the vcn'tagcs being located at the extreme corners ot'the aperture 61 d, results in so nearly continuous at discharge that noindication of the intermittent action of the slide is apparent by theline of seed on the ground.

If preferred, the slide may be arranged in segmental form concentricwith and operated by a rock-shaft.

I claim as new and of my invention herein- The construction andarrangement, as set forth, of the sheath 0 and the slideD 12, pro videdwith the described passages d d 3 3, operating as explained, incombination with the seed-box A of a grain-drill.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

OLIVER G. GREEN. Witnesses:

GEo. H. KNIGHT, J AS. H. GRIDLEY.

